Merriment Social (240 E. Pittsburgh Ave.) kicks off its new Happy Hour burger series on Tuesday, June 21. Each week, the Fifth Ward restaurant will feature a $5 burger inspired by a local chef’s favorite patty. The burger is available only during Happy Hour – Tues-Sat 4-6 p.m. Merriment christens the series this week with “The DJ Diamond,” named for Dan Jacobs, chef/co-owner of DanDan Restaurant, which is targeted for summer opening at 360 E. Erie St., Third Ward. This quarter-pound patty is topped with chili, fried ramp pickles, Dijonnaise, cheese and onion.

The list of chefs that will be part of the series includes Kurt Fogle and Joe McCormick (Bass Bay Brewhouse), Paul Zerkel (Goodkind), Aaron Patin (Iron Grate BBQ), Shay Linkus (The Vanguard), Gregory Leon (Amilinda), Justin Carlisle (Ardent) and many others.

Ann Christenson has covered dining for Milwaukee Magazine since 1997. She was raised on a diet of casseroles that started with a pound of ground beef and a can of Campbell's soup. Feel free to share any casserole recipes with her.